JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville physician accused of masturbating in front of an undressed patient during a physical examination at Baptist Health last year now faces scrutiny and potential discipline from state regulators, News4Jax learned Tuesday.
The Florida Department of Health issued a complaint Feb. 16 calling for the Board of Medicine to take action against Dr. Om Parkash Kapoor, including a possible suspension or revocation of his license, among a range of other proposed penalties.
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That complaint comes a little more than two weeks after state Surgeon General Celeste Philip imposed an emergency restriction on Kapoor's license. The order forbids him to treat male patients without the supervision of another healthcare professional.
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DOCUMENTS: Order of Emergency Restriction License | Administrative Complaint
Kapoor, 47, was placed on leave from Baptist Health after the allegation surfaced in December. He has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges of indecent exposure and battery in the case, according to a search of Duval County court records.
"We take seriously any allegations, especially charges of this nature, filed against physicians on the medical staffs of Baptist Health hospitals," a Baptist spokesperson previously said. "We are cooperating with the police investigation regarding the allegations."
The case stems from a Dec. 14 incident involving a 34-year-old patient. The patient, who was previously diagnosed with Lyme disease, came forward with allegations that he was asked to remove his clothes and then bend over an examination table so that his lower extremities could be inspected.
According to an arrest warrant, the patient told investigators that during the examination he heard his physician moan and then felt something make contact with the back of his leg. The patient stated he then turned around to find the physician's genitals exposed.
The patient stated the physician cleaned himself off with a napkin, which was later discarded in a nearby trash bin, according to the warrant. The patient said he collected the napkin and brought it to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
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According to the Feb. 1 emergency order, the December complaint was not the first time that a patient accused Kapoor of bad behavior. A risk manager for Baptist previously notified the Sheriff's Office in 2012 of sexual misconduct involving a 20-year-old patient.
Kapoor currently is free on $25,000 bond. An arraignment hearing is set for March 14.